Spotlight

Looking Back

There is no better example of Democrats and Republicans coming together than the annual Congressional Baseball Game which has been held very year since 1909. The 1975 Congressional Baseball Game My first introduction to this grand tradition was in 1975 when I jo read...

Getting Started in Congress Being elected in Congress in 1974 was one of the biggest surprises in my life. Here’s some memories of what it was like to go to Washington as a new freshman. Taking the Oath of Office Article VI, clause 3 of the US Constitution require read...

I’m always asked the question, how did I get involved in national politics. I didn’t come from a political family and I wasn’t part of the famed Chicago political machine. This spotlight gives my reflections on the journey from an Italian-American neighborhood on the so read...

One of my fondest memories in Congress is the time I spent living on Capitol Hill with three other Members of Congress. They called us “The Roommates” and it became a big enough deal that the Wall Street Journal did an article about us. Here’s some fun memories of that read...

Some of my fondest personal memories in Congress were those days when I served as the regular paddle ball partner for President George H. W. Bush. We played as a team in the House paddle ball courts for all eight years he was Vice President and continued for the read...

Quotable

Learn how to have more influence...

Government decision makers don’t have all the answers. When they are trying to pass laws and implement regulations, they need to hear from experts.

In the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment guarantees the “right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” That’s lobbying.

When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. That’s why we all need to vote.

The myth is that lobbying is a thorn in the side of good government. The reality is that lobbying makes our government better.

To Kill A Mockingbird: “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.” That’s a great line. I’ve stood and walked in the shoes of a Member of Congress and a lobbyist.

When people tell me that outside interests have too much influence in Congress, I remind them of the famous quote by President Harry Truman: “The buck stops here.” In the end, only the Member of Congress makes the vote and is accountable to his or her constituents.

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

– President Dwight Eisenhower

One of the most wonderful things about speaking to groups is that I get to hear about issues that are important to people.

I’ve spent my career in politics and government with eighteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives and twenty-two years as a top lobbyist. My message to you is that what happens in Washington matters. The best way to impact federal policy making is to get involved. You can make a difference.